ICE in the Black Forest: Deutsche Bahn satisfied with experiment
It was a first on a popular tourist route to Lake Constance: a regular ICE train ran on the Black Forest Railway to Constance during the summer months. "We are satisfied," a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn (DB) told the German Press Agency. Demand was in line with expectations. Figures could not be given for competitive reasons.
The ICE connection had made it possible to travel from Hamburg to Lake Constance and back without changing trains on certain days during the summer months. On the way south, the ICE T with tilting technology stopped in St. Georgen, Villingen, Donaueschingen, Singen and Radolfzell, among other places.
"Whether there will be further ICE journeys via the Black Forest Railway in the coming years depends, among other things, on the availability of suitable vehicles," said the spokeswoman. No decisions have yet been made.
The trains with tilting technology were available for the southwest due to construction work in other parts of Germany: "We used them for the tourist offer and extended individual journeys from Hamburg beyond Karlsruhe to Constance," said the spokeswoman.
Incidentally, the ICE was not faster than the usual regional express with the red double-decker coaches on the winding mountain route, as the white train had to be "synchronized" with the existing timetable, according to earlier railroad information. The Black Forest Railway with its many tunnels and spectacular views of mountains and valleys was opened 150 years ago. For DB, the Black Forest Railway runs between Karlsruhe and Constance.
The success of the ICE train on the Black Forest Railway for tourism has sparked interest in potential future trips. Visitors can now explore the Black Forest and Lake Constance using both the ICE and the traditional regional express trains.
Source: www.dpa.com
